How They Got Here

Mexico proved the class of the Semifinal Round, plowing through Group B with a perfect 6-0-0 record and pumping in 15 goals while giving up only a pair. They finished with four straight shutouts, and bested Costa Rica in San Jose. Manchester United forward Javier Hernandez paced a plethora of goalscorers with three in the round, while 29 different players got a sniff of qualifying competition.

Against The United States

Since 1997 when each team took points at the other’s venue, it’s been the home team rules. In fact, only the United States has scored on foreign soil in the last three cycles, with goals from Eddie Lewis in 2005 (that ultimately led to the USA’s first-place finish in the group) and Charlie Davies four years later. Here in the United States, the story has remained the same: Columbus, Ohio and 2-0. Estadio Azteca experienced a dent in its armor this past summer when the U.S. won there for the first time; regardless, this matchup remains the prize of CONCACAF.